The California Missions carried by the Spanish settlers had the most far reaching influence over the religion in California. With the arrival of the Spanish in California came a new era in the social, political, economic, cultural and religious life of the native Californians.
The history of California Missions reveals the reasons behind the wave of enthusiasm to convert the natives into Christianity. The political and economic motives behind the California Missions also affected the religious faiths in California. The Spanish missionaries worked zealously for achieving the goal of conversion of as many people as possible in order to establish their supremacy over the religion in California.
The religious beliefs of the people of California still reflects the effects of the California Missions. The major religion of California in recent times is the religious groups under Christianity. The main sub-groups of Christianity forming a part of the religion in California are Catholicism, Baptism, Methodist, Lutheran and others. The other religions followed by the people of California are Jewish, Islam and Buddhism. Many people in California do not believe in following a particular religious faith.
